The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-03-12


ing down stream. Was this tho MerrimacI
The little feet came stean'ing down the river
and out into the roads. Quickly the Mime
sofa and the Roanoke made ready 10 meet
the newcomers. The queer craft was the
Merrimac at last. The Roanoke had broken
shaft She had ~ DO towed out into the
water by tugs.
II does not take long to tell the story Of
what followed. The Minnesota grounded
gu, OF range Of the Virginia, and could not
be got or II was ebb tide. Presently the
Roanoke grounded at the stern, The United
States navy was not worth much more then
than 1t is now,
The Congress and Cumberland were an
chored nearest 10 the coming monitor as she
steamed out OF Elizabeth river
There was some exchange OF shots rs the
Merrimac came booming on. One shot from
her disabled several gnnners on the Cumber'
land. The Cumberland was swung lroadside
across the channel The Merrimac went at
her straight rs an arrow and rammed her
iron beak into the Cumberlands side A
great opening was made and water poured in
q torrent into the Cumberland Then the
Merrimac opened fire. Every shot hit the
mark, and the decks of the wooden ship were
soon covered with dead and injured IN
three-quarters Of an hour the mortslly hurt
ship went down in fifty.four feet Of water,
carrying dead, dying and wounded with her,
Some were picked up in boats from the shore
and few swan 20 land. The Cum
berland's topmast showed above va
ter, with her flag still flying. IL was
the turn Of the Congress next. The
two companion gunboats Of the Merrimac
had attacked her Seeing the fate of the
Cumberland. Lieut.. Pendergast, commander
of the Congress, ran her aground by means
OF tugs, in order to prevent the Merrimac
from sinking her The Merrimac, after sink
ing the Cumberland began pouring shot into
the Congress. The aim of the Confeierates
was marvelously accurate, The firing from
the Congress had no effect on the Merrimac's
sloping iron sides.
At 4:3O Lieut. Pendergast. seeing all was
over, hauled down the stars and stripes, and
ran up white flag in token Of surrender.
The Confcdcrates sent tug Ia take formal
possession.
But the Congress was under shelter Of the
Union batteries at Newport News, and they
opened fire and drove the tug of. II is Sa'd
they did not see the white flag. Then the
Mcrrimac poured red hot shot into the poor
old ship again, Presently she left her and
bore down upon the Minnesota.
In this interval. the crew OF the Congress,
what there were left Of them, escaped 20
shore in the boats. Next morning, of the AZ
brave men and true who had CONFUSED hs,
crew, only half answered to their names al
roll call The rest were killed, wounded and
missing.
There had come into Hampton Roads on
Friday, March &, the naval ship St Law
renee, a sailsr Seeing how the battle was 20
ing, she had herself towel toward the
grounded Minnesota, and presently she her
self grounded Together the two helpless
vessels waited the onslaught OF the iron
beaked monster. There seems to have
been inexplicable ignorance OF the channels
on the part Of the Federal pilots. The Roa-
noke, the Minnesota and the 81. Lawrence
all ran aground.
The ST. Lawrence fired hroadside at the
Merrimac. which did not the slightest harm.
The Merrmac fired one single shell al the st,
Lawrence II went through the wooden ship
like holt Of lightning. Then the St Law
renee. hOrs du combat, stole of like .
whipped animal up toward Fortress Monroe.
1t WINS getting dark. The ram and her at
tendant g,inboats drew off from the fight and
steamed TO Sewell's point, where they
anchored The hot shot the ram had thrown
last into the Congress had been for the pur-
pose of setting fire TO her. This object was
accomplished. The battered ship burned to
the waters edge. About midnight the fires
reached her powder magazine, when she
blew up with tremendous roar, and that
was the end OF the Congress,
"Hurpr's Pictorial History says OF the Mer-
riinac: mo vessel that ever fioa.ed had ever
done so great work in a single half day.